A Cabbie Fairy Tale
by bluecinderella4
Summary: A fairy tale where a stable boy, Robbie, and his group of friends venture forth to rescue their kidnapped Princess Cat, who is the target of an evil Count's plot. This is a bonus story that originated from Victorious & Company.


**For those of you who read my other fanfic **_**Victorious & Company**_**, you knew this was coming. This fanfic originated in that story, but I decided to expand on it. For those who haven't read **_**Victorious & Company**_**: you really don't have to read it. All you need to know is the goons in the story are slightly bad guys who helped kidnapped Cat (if you want to know more about that then I suggest you read that) and their names are Frankie, Leo, and Ritchie and they'll be in the story (there's also a bad goon named Vinny in here too). The three good goons, as I call them, asked Cat to tell them stories, and Cat told them a story like this. You can hopefully recognize obvious plots, but I added more character interactions and moments.**

**This will be a Cabbie story with some Bade, AND I actually did manage to squeeze in some Tandre just like the last time. You should also be warned this will be one really, really, REALLY long chapter. So I won't say anything at the end.**

**Just enjoy Cat's VERY extended fairy tale (and feel free to picture it as a Disney movie if you wish like I did when writing it) and thanks for reading.**

**WARNING: THIS IS VERY, VERY LONG!**

* * *

><p>Once upon a time there was a princess named Cat. Princess Cat lived in the pink palace in the kingdom of Angelos. The princess was the most sweetest, kind-hearted, beautiful, but slightly naïve princess ever on Earth; beloved by everybody…<p>

…particularly the awkward stable boy, Robbie. Robbie was an orphan who was left on the steps of the palace. The king and queen felt there was something special about him (though to this day, they're still not sure what) and they gave him a decent upbringing and made him work in the stables when he was old enough to successfully pick up a pitchfork.

Robbie and the princess were instant friends. They'd spend their time playing together as young children, and they continued to spend time together up through the adolescent years. Somewhere along the way, both of them developed feelings for each other. Unfortunately, Cat felt that Robbie didn't return any romantic feelings for her the way she did for him.

After Cat was finished with her lesson, she ran out to the stables where Robbie was cleaning horses. "Hi, Robbie!"

"Oh, hi, Princess," he nervously waved. He cleared his throat and then faked confidence. "So…your horse is all ready for the daily ride."

"Yay!" She went over to her beautiful white horse. "You cleaned Buttercup up really nice."

Robbie blushed. "Gee, thanks. I was just doing my job."

"Do you want to come riding with me? You can ride Wesley."

"Oh...sorry Princess, but I've got work to do. Besides, I don't think Wesley likes me after I...after that one time I…Wesley doesn't like me."

"Oh," Cat tried to hide her sadness. "Okay, then." She climbed up onto her horse. "I'll see you in about thirty minutes."

"I'll be here." He waved goodbye to her as she rode off.

"Dude," Rex, decked out in his knight outfit (which was slightly heavy for him) gave Robbie a small fright after appearing behind him, "when are you gonna make a move?"

"Rex-"

"It's obvious she likes you!"

"As a friend. Cat's a princess, and she can have her pick of any monarch or aristocrat." Robbie sighed. "Why would she want someone like me?" He picked up his pitchfork and began tossing hay into an empty stable. "I'm just a stable boy." The hay only landed a few feet from the two friends. "And I can't even do that job right."

"You suck at everything basically."

"Thanks for the positive words of encouragement!" Rex did his trademark chuckled and clunked over to one of the horses. "Hey Rex, isn't that suit a little too big for you?"

"I need to look tougher when I get inducted at the square table ceremony."

"Why? You're going to be inducted as a knight anyway."

"It's not my fault you failed basic knight training…five times."

"I'm just so awkward."

"Basically, yeah."

Robbie got some more hay on the pitchfork and made sure that the hay landed on Rex.

…

Count Joey of the noble Fergusons entered the castle with his daughter, Hayley, and Hayley's lady-in-waiting Tara. He made his way to the royal conference hall where Castle Advisor Lane was waiting. "Lane, my good man," The Count began, "I was wondering if the king hasn't forgotten about our meeting this afternoon."

Lane groaned. "I told him not to take a royal tick bath!" He stood up. "If you'll wait in here, Count Joey, I'll be back with his highness." Lane left the room.

The Count made himself comfortable as Hayley circled the room. "I bet I would enjoy this castle more if it was mine."

"I'm sure you would Precious," her father said to her.

"It's not fair!" Hayley stomped her foot. "I'd be a better princess than _Cat_!"

"Yes, yes, Darling. But you don't have to worry about her being a princess anymore."

"Does that mean you'll make me princess?"

"No. I mean after the princess' birthday, she'll have to choose a husband, and then she'll become queen."

"WHAT?"

Tara was confused. "I thought Prince Charlie was older."

"The court deemed him 'unfit' to rule the kingdom," Count Joey explained.

"Is there a way we can deem Cat unfit?" Hayley asked.

"Hayley, Pumpkin, you underestimate me. I know people. As we speak, I have asked my bodyguard to seek recruits at the local tavern. Once he chooses the toughest three, the four of them will then return to us and we will kidnap the princess."

"How?"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," The Count twiddled with a green ring on his right finger.

Hayley understood, and was slightly appalled. "Daddy, your hypnotizing ring?" He nodded. "No, no! We can't take that risk again."

"You want to be princess, don't you Princess? This time, I'll be more careful."

"How will you be more careful, Sir?" Tara inquired.

"I'm going to perform the hypnosis at the ball tomorrow; and I'll choose someone they wouldn't likely suspect."

…

Attending the mid-afternoon lesson, Cat couldn't keep her mind focused on her princess studies. She found herself staring out the window and watching Robbie try to wrangle the horses back into the stable. It was obvious that the horse Wesley did not like Robbie. Cat found herself giggling at all of Robbie's attempts to get Wesley to calm down and get into the stable.

"Your highness!" Lane interrupted her thoughts. Cat quickly turned to Lane. "If you want to laugh I suggest you ask the court jester to entertain you after our lesson. I am also obligated to remind you of the knighting induction at the square table tonight and the ball celebrating your birthday tomorrow; this is where those etiquette lessons would pay off."

Cat groaned. "Why is princessing so boring? Why can't Sikowitz teach me my princess lessons?"

Lane sighed. "Instructor Sikowitz was unfit to teach you your lessons."

"But he knew magic!"

"He was just a crazy whack job."

Cat crossed her arms, "I bet he would make princessing fun."

…

Sir Beck entered the stable. "Hey, Robbie!"

Robbie turned to Beck. "Hi, Beck. Congratulations on your induction tonight."

"Eh, it's no big deal. I just wanted to come in here and claim my horse early before the other guys do. Can you show me what horses I have to choose from?"

"Sure." Robbie led Beck to another set of stables. "How's Lady Jade?"

"Fine, I suppose. I haven't seen her much since knight training."

"Are you planning on doing anything with her now that you're not questing for a while?"

Beck shrugged. "She keeps pressuring me to elope."

Robbie smiled. "So why don't you?"

"I mean, don't you think we're a little too young to elope?"

"Actually I think you're a little too old to elope. People are eloping at ten, twelve, even Prince Charlie eloped when he was thirteen."

"Really?"

Robbie nodded. "His twelve year old bride asked that the marriage be annulled after he tried to eat her on their honeymoon night."

"How do you know this?"

"You won't believe what gossip you hear around the stables. Did you know that Lane, the castle advisor, and Sir Andre were assisting Tori Vega, of the noble Vegas, on how to properly waltz?"

Beck chuckled. "Andre knows how to waltz?"

"Not very well from what I hear."

"Then why is he helping teach Tori to waltz?"

"Apparently, Sir Andre has a bit of a crush on Tori."

Beck laughed. "What else do you hear around the stables?"

As Robbie opened his mouth, Andre made his way to the stables. "Beck!" He ran toward the two, his metal suit clunking. "They want the knights in the banquet hall for attendance so they know how many of us are here."

Beck turned to Robbie. "Another time?"

"Sure," Robbie agreed. "Save me some table scraps, okay."

Beck went over to Andre. Andre gave him a look. "You know we were required to invite one guest."

"You knew I was bringing Jade. Why didn't you invite Robbie?"

"I asked Tori first. Wasn't Rex going to invite him?"

"Rex wanted to invite a girl from the Northern Ridges, but in the end he settled on Trina."

"Tori's sister?"

"She forced him or something like that."

"Ah."

…

The induction ceremony for the new knights consisted of a feast, the official ceremony, and basically a giant party.

Rex spent most of the party trying to avoid Trina. "Andre! Beck!" Rex clanked over to his friends, who were drinking punch, "You gotta hide me!"

"Why don't you put your helmet down?" Beck suggested. "It might make it harder for her to spot you."

Rex put his helmet down. When Beck and Andre saw Trina, they put their helmets down too. However, Trina recognized Rex by his oversized suit. "Rexford Powers, you are going to devote all of your attention to me! Now let's go dance."

Rex lifted up the eye cover on the helmet. "But I-"

"DANCE WITH ME!" Trina dragged him to the center of the ballroom.

"I told him to get armor that fit," Andre commented.

"Poor sap," Beck noted, "always falling prey to the damsel; doing everything that the girl commands you to do with or for them."

Jade made her way to Beck. "Hey, dance with me and afterwards we can make out in the tower." Beck shrugged and obeyed his girlfriend.

"Poor sap," Andre observed. He glanced around the ballroom and noticed a sullen looking princess. Also in his observation, Tori was sitting alone, her feet dancing to the jubilant music. He made his way to Tori. "Wanna dance?"

"Thanks, but no thanks," she declined. "You and I both know that I'm an awful dancer."

"True."

"You know, that didn't exactly make me feel better."

"Sorry, I was just trying to shed some humor. If it helps, I'm not the best dancer either."

"That helps a little."

"Listen, if there is one thing you're good at, it's cheering people up and giving advice; not necessarily in that order."

"Aww, what's wrong Andre?"

"I want to know what's keeping the princess from being perky," he pointed to Cat.

Tori smiled. "Alright." She and Andre went over to Cat. "Hi, your highness."

Cat perked up and waved. "Hi Tori! Hi Sir Andre!"

"You can call me Andre, your highness," Andre told her.

"Okay! Then you can call me Cat."

"But you're the princess."

"And as the princess, I want you to call me Cat."

"Okay."

"So, are you guys having fun?"

"Actually," Tori began, "we were wondering if you were having fun."

Cat giggled before becoming all serious. "No."

"What's the matter?"

She shrugged. "I dunno."

"Anyone ask you to dance?"

"No, not even Charlie."

"Is there anyone you want to dance with?" Cat bit her lip trying to stifle a giggle. "Ooh, the princess has a crush!"

Andre looked around. "Oh, heck no!"

Cat raised her eyebrow in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't quite know how to put this…don't get me wrong, you're really sweet, but…but you're crazy."

"Andre!" Tori gave him a look of surprise.

Cat was upset. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Andre sighed. "I like you too Princess; but not in a romantic way."

Cat giggled. "I don't have a crush on you Andre."

"Oh…" Andre looked down at the floor in embarrassment, "yeah…yeah I knew that."

"So," Tori diverted attention away from Andre, "who do you have a crush on? Is it any of the knights?"

"No."

"Oh," Tori glanced around, "any noble, or aristocrat guys?"

Cat playfully shook her head no. "Nah-uh."

Tori continued to look. "Please tell me it's not your court jester," Tori pointed to the court jester, Sinjin, who not only picked his nose, but he ate what he dug out of his nose. Then he did it again.

"Eww!" Even Tori and Andre were in unison with that.

Tori sighed. "Well that's basically everyone here!"

"Everyone who matters anyway," Andre noted. Cat let out an upset squeak and ran off. "Was it something I said?"

Tori shrugged. "Must be."

Sinjin made his way over to Tori and Andre. "Hey, Sir Andre, congratulations on your knighting." The jester then touched Tori's shoulder. "And can I just say that you look really pretty tonight, Lady Tori." Sinjin walked away leaving Tori standing there in speechless disgust.

"I take it you liked that gown," Andre guessed.

Tori nodded. "And now I have to burn it."

…

Robbie hummed a tune (a tune that Michael Corcoran would eventually popularize in the far future) as he washed one of the king's horses. With the exception of his humming, it was eerily quiet.

"Psst, Robbie!"

Robbie stared at the horse. "Uh…hi. Listen, I'm sorry I didn't have a carrot tonight but-"

Cat tapped him on the shoulder, causing Robbie to scream like a terrified girl. This caused Cat to scream, and that caused the horse to scream. He clutched his heart. "Geez Princess, you really scared the pee outta me."

"Literally?"

Robbie looked down at his pants. "Not quite." For some reason, this made her laugh. "What brings you here?"

"It's kinda boring. I was wondering what you were doing."

"I'm just making sure everything was okay before I locked up the stables for the night."

"Oh," she began to pet the horse. "Samson's coat looks shinier."

"Thanks."

"Robbie, why don't you ever come to castle celebrations?"

"I'm socially awkward."

"Oh…I guess I am too; but I have to go because everybody loves me."

"That's good, I guess."

"Do you want me to help you lock up?"

"No, no. You don't have to do anything."

"Can I watch you lock up?"

Robbie looked surprised. "I don't see why not."

"Yay!" She followed him around the stables. "You spend a lot of time in the stables working; what do you do for fun?"

He thought about what she asked. "Nothing, really."

"Oh." Awkward silence. "Do you have any hobbies?"

"Every night I…no."

"What?"

"No, it's too embarrassing."

"Tell me!"

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm the princess and you have to do what I say."

"Well, you got me there." Robbie smiled. "Every night before I go to bed, I like to go up to the hill and lay on the grass and look at the stars. I like to point out which stars are shining on that particular night."

"I didn't know you pointed out particular stars."

"I like looking at stars. The former castle advisor Sikowtitz taught me the names of some of the stars."

"Can I look at stars with you?"

Robbie sucked air through his teeth to make one of those typical 'not a good idea' noise. "Yee-ah…I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Aren't people going to realize you're missing? I mean you're the princess; you can't be unescorted."

Cat's eyes became wide and sad and she pouted her lips. "Please." She batted her eyes.

Robbie groaned. "I can't say no to you!"

She squeaked with delight. "It's 'cause I'm the princess."

"That's one reason."

"Only one reason; what's the other reason?"

Robbie led her out of the stables and closed them up with the lock. "Shall we go look at the stars now, Princess?" He held out his arm as a gesture for her to link her arm into his.

The princess surprised him by taking his hand. Shocked, he looked their locked hands, to her smiling face, back to the hands, back to her face…and he didn't pull his hand away.

…

Two burly men dragged Lane into the conference room where the Count was waiting. "Hello Joey," Lane greeted. "If you wanted to talk to me, you could have just said something instead of sending these men after me."

The Count chuckled. "They're new; I thought I'd break them in."

Lane faked a laugh. "These men aren't horses, Joey."

Joey merely chuckled back. Once he stopped, he put his hand on Lane's shoulder. "Can you help me with something?"

"With all due respect, I managed to secure you the local taverns and eateries in a legal way; I can't give you anything else."

"Oh no, no. I just need your vision help."

"Alright."

"My daughter says there's a dirty spot on this ring," Count Joey held up his ring. "Now I can't for the life of me see that darn little spot. Can you?" He moved the ring back and forth. Lane's eyes moved back and forth, and back and forth, and back and forth, and…this tired the palace advisor and he closed his eyes. "Now that you mention it, there is something I need your help with. You see, my daughter Hayley wants to be princess and I know she's more qualified than the current princess. I need you to assist my current bodyguards in securing Princess Caterina after her birthday celebration. We want to take her to a hidden kingdom for a…a sort of vacation if you will say."

"VAAAAAAAACAAAAAATIONNNNNNN," Lane muttered in his trance.

"Could you bring the princess to my bodyguards Leonard and Richard- they're the ones who escorted you here- after her birthday celebration."

"I will bring the princess to Leonard and Richard."

"Leo and Ritchie," Leo corrected.

Ritchie slapped Leo upside the head. "What've we been taught, dipthong?"

"Never correct the Count." Leo rubbed his head. "Ow!"

…

Tori thought it would a nice surprise if she, Andre, Beck, and (not by her choice) Jade surprised Cat by waking her up early in the morning with breakfast in bed. They were the ones surprised to find her not in her room. No one said anything for a few seconds.

Until Jade broke the silence. "All right, I'll say it; where's Cat?"

"She's gotta be here somewhere," Andre peered his head down the hall.

"Thanks for the update Katherine Obvious," Tori sarcastically commented. The three shot her confused looks. "What?"

"It's Captain Obvious, not Katherine Obvious," Beck corrected.

"IT MATTERS!"

"Ssh!"

Tori turned to Jade. "Don't shush me!"

"Watch it, Vega!" Jade warned.

"You guys are loud!"

The four screamed at the new voice. The princess was standing behind them reading a book. "Ssh, I'm trying to read." She looked at the breakfast tray. "Ooh, bacon!" She took a piece of bacon and gleefully ate it.

Tori and Jade followed her. "Read?"

"Uh-huh! This book has a lot of boring words, but it has pretty pictures." Jade snatched the book out of her hands. "Hey!"

Jade examined the book. "Astronomy?"

"That's a fancy way of saying you're studying the stars in the sky. I know, I asked Lane."

"Why are you reading this?" Tori inquired.

"I like stars now," Cat took the book back and smiled. She opened to the page she was on and displayed it to them. "Pretty, huh?" She continued on her way reading about astronomy.

"Why is she so interested in astronomy?"

"Even astronomers aren't in interested in astronomy," Jade shook her head in thought, "someone must've peaked her curiosity on this subject."

"Who?"

"Do I look like I know everything, Vega? Follow her!"

"Come with me!"

Jade groaned. "Fine; but only because she's my best friend." The two frienemies followed Cat down the hall and to the library where they stood outside watching the princess read…and read…and turn the page…and read.

"This was a good idea."

"It was your idea."

Tori had a look of upset shock. "Was not! You were the one who said to follow her!"

"But everything is your fault."

Cat (and the other two girls yawned) as she turned another page.

"Tori? Jade?"

Tori and Jade jumped. "Robbie?" Jade hit him.

"OW!" He rubbed his arm.

"Robbie, what are you doing here?" Tori questioned.

"I was just going to get a book."

Jade skeptically raised her eyebrow. "You read? How can you read when you've never had a proper education?"

"I've learned to read some; that Sikowitz guy was nice enough to teach me some stuff. He taught me about stars. I just want to see if there are any stars I haven't seen." Robbie made his way into the library. Tori and Jade smiled at each other in understanding when they saw Cat's face lit up when she saw Robbie make his way into the library.

"Hi Robbie!" Cat excitedly waved at him.

"Oh, hi Princess," he nervously waved back. "Whatcha readin'?"

"A boring astronomy book."

"What's astronomy?"

Cat giggled. "I asked that same question earlier. Turns it astronomy is studying the stars."

"I never knew it had a name."

"You can read this!" She handed him the book. Robbie just looked down at it in silence. "What's the matter?"

He handed the book back to her. "I can't read very well; I...I never properly leaned."

"Aww!" Cat patted his hand with hers. "Tell you what; I'll help you read this book."

"You will?" Cat nodded. "Gee, thanks Princess."

"Cat."

Robbie briefly chuckled. "Cat."

"You don't have to call me Princess all the time. You've been my friend for a really long time and you've never called me by name."

"Sorry Princess…I mean sorry…Cat." Cat squealed and clapped with delight. Robbie smiled back. "By the way, Happy Birthday Cat."

"Thanks Robbie."

...

Later in the afternoon as the ballroom was being set up for the princess' party, Tori and Jade made their way into the stables where Robbie was (poorly) doing his job. "Oh, hi Ladies!" He greeted.

Jade threw a suit at him. "Put that on!"

"What?"

"What Jade means to say," Tori began to explain, "is you're going to go to the ball in honor of the princess' seventeenth birthday."

"Guys like me aren't allowed to even breathe the atmosphere of parties like that." He handed the suit to Tori. "I don't think so."

"Robbie, you realize you have been friends with the princess just as long as Jade, maybe even longer?"

"Does this have a point?"

"You have never been to a celebration with or for her."

"I'm socially awkward. Putting me in a party is like…sending your best soldier off to battle thousands alone. Why take the risk?"

"Then don't do it for us, or yourself," Jade said to him, "do it for Cat." Robbie was still unsure.

"At least go for ten minutes and share a waltz or slow dance with Cat," Tori suggested. Robbie started to walk off.

"You know; now that Cat is seventeen, she's going to have to choose a suitor to marry in less than a month to become queen," Jade reminded Robbie.

She had also reminded Tori of that fact. "How is this relevant?"

"She's supposed to marry a monarch, aristocrat, or knight," Robbie added.

"Maybe you can change her mind about marrying one of those types," Jade slyly smiled.

"I don't follow you ladies," Robbie was confused.

"Go to the party and ask Cat if she wants to marry _you_!" The girls simultaneously instructed.

"And face the pain of rejection when she says 'sorry Robbie, but I have to marry someone better than you'? No thank you."

"You'll never know unless you try," Tori tried to assure him.

Robbie looked down at the ground. "You don't know what it's like to be in love with someone you can't be in love with. Even if by some miracle she does say yes, everyone else will reject me."

"Then run off with the girl and elope!" an exasperated Jade told him.

"She'll lose the life of luxury that's she's known; and what life can I provide her? I'm just a poor, awkward, orphaned stable boy."

Rex clunked into the stables and hid behind a gray horse. He perked his head up and looked around. "Is she gone?"

Tori raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"The crazy Vega."

"Trina!" Everyone agreed.

"Girl is psycho! She wants me to get down on my knees and worship the ground she walks on."

"Trina wants everyone to do that," Tori said.

"She wants me to rub her feet."

"That's usually not a good sign."

"I wish we could help you, but we can't really do much about Trina's…we can't do much about Trina in general," Robbie wasn't the best at motivation and assurance.

"Give me your glasses!" Rex ordered.

"Excuse you?"

"Give me your glasses," he took the glasses off of Robbie's face. He then took some manure and rubbed it into his messy hair. As gross as it was, it worked as a gel. Rex looked somewhat different. "How do I look?"

Robbie squinted. "I don't know, I can't see without my glasses!"

Trina entered the stables. "Have you guys seen Rexford?"

"NO!" Rex shook his head.

"Nope."

"Sorry."

"Actually-" Rex covered Jade's mouth.

Jade reciprocated by biting him. "OW!"

"GRR!" Trina stomped her foot. She then looked at the two guys. "Tori, who are your gorgeous male friends?"

"Robbie and Rex," Tori answered.

"TORI!" Rex protested.

"Oops."

Trina grabbed Rex's arm. "Nice try, Rexford! Now come with me to the rose garden, pick me a rose, and WORSHIP ME!" She dragged him off.

Tori examined Robbie. "You know, without your glasses you look slightly cuter."

"But I can't see without them!" Robbie protested.

Jade snapped her fingers. "This will make it harder for people to reject this loser."

"HEY! Wait, what's that supposed to mean"

"If he ditches the glasses, puts on the suit, and combs the hair, he'll be a wannabe Beck. That might make him more irresistible to Cat and other people."

"It might?"

"It's worth a shot," Tori agreed. "But we have to see if the suit fits him." She tossed him the suit. "Go over there and put on the suit."

Robbie tried to find the front of the suit, which he was holding upside down. When he thought he had it, he stumbled to where he thought Tori pointed. Jade groaned at this. "Go help him, Vega!"

"Me? Why?"

"This was your idea!"

"It was _your_ idea!"

"Everything is _your_ fault!"

…

At the ball in the princess' honor, Cat was the center of attention. People constantly came up to her to wish her a happy birthday, hand her random objects they considered gifts, and boys around her age would dance with her. During this time she desperately tried to escape the party, but the three new body guards her father hired at Lane's urging were good at their job and always brought her back to the party. So, she sulked in a chair in the corner with her arms crossed.

"Hello, young Princess," Sikowitz bowed.

Cat smiled and waved. "Hi Sikowitz!"

"I have conjured up a gift for you, your highness."

"Ooh, yay! People really like to give me stuff today; I don't know why."

"Does this always happen on your birthday?"

Cat's eyes went wide. "It's like a coincidence or something."

"A strange coincidence. Now, a present for a princess," he held out his empty hand, said some strange magic words, and in the empty hand, a stuffed giraffe appeared. Cat clapped with delight. Sikowitz handed the princess her present and bowed.

"I love it, thank you!"

"You're welcome. I only ask that you do not expose the giraffe to sunlight."

"Why?"

"I don't know." Sikowitz conjured up a coconut and a straw and began drinking coconut milk as he walked away.

"Hmm!" Cat brushed off what Sikowitz did and began to pet her stuffed giraffe. "I think I'll call you…Geoffrey!"

Beck and Andre made their way to Cat. "Hiya, Princess."

"Hi Beck! Hi Andre!" She proudly held up her giraffe. "This is Geoffrey!"

"Nice," Andre commented. "We also have a surprise for you."

"Wow, you guys too?"

"Come on," Beck and Andre led her to another part of the ballroom where Tori and Jade were waiting. "Ladies, I believe we have a surprise for our birthday princess."

"Do we?" Tori playfully asked Jade.

Jade let out a playful surprise gasp. "We do."

"Ooh, surpriseful!" Cat was excited.

Andre pulled out a miniature trumpet and blew it. Tori cleared her throat. "Presenting, Robbie!"

When the girls pulled away, Robbie was standing in the other direction and waved. Tori and Jade turned him around as Robbie kept waving.

Cat was awestruck. "Robbie?"

He squinted to try and get a better look. "Hi, Cat. Gosh, you look really pretty."

"Thanks."

"I was wondering if you would like to dance…with me?"

"Sure."

"Great!" He cautiously walked over to who he assumed was Cat and grabbed their hand.

"Wrong person," Beck led Robbie to Cat and put his hands in hers.

Cat giggled. "You're funny."

Robbie feigned a smile. "I'm sorry, but I can't see without my glasses."

"Where are your glasses?"

"Rex took them. But I don't need glasses to dance do I?" Cat shrugged. "I think I'll be fine." He proceeded to dance with her. "See, it's not so bad."

He stepped on her foot. "OW!"

"Sorry!"

"You know," he stepped on her foot again, "you're a-ow-good dancer. But maybe we should-ow-sit somewhere and just-ow!"

"Sorry!"

"Please."

"Um…okay." He took her hand and tried to lead her to a secluded spot, but unfortunately he couldn't see where he was going. "There is something important I want to ask you anyway."

"There is?"

"Yeah; I'll just ask you now. Cat, I was wondering if you will…would you…I mean will you…" he sighed, "…would you like to get some refreshments with me?"

"Sure; but why don't I get them for you-"

"Nonsense! It's your birthday, and you're the princess. I'll get you your drink."

"Robbie-"

"I insist." He stumbled over to the refreshment table and got in between two other knights.

Jade and Tori went over to Cat once they saw her alone. Tori couldn't contain her excitement. "So, how's it going?"

"Well…he's blind," Cat replied.

"Tell me he hasn't screwed anything up yet," Jade groaned.

"Hey ladies!" Trina made her way into the conversation, "just thought I'd get involved in the girl talk. So, what's goin' on?"

"Nobody likes you!"

Meanwhile, Rex squeezed his way to the refreshment table. "Yo Robbie, here are your glasses."

Robbie turned to the other side. "Great, seeing as I can't see a thing."

Rex turned him around and put the glasses on his face. "Better?"

"Oh, much. Now I can dance with Cat without stepping on her feet."

"Whatever, give me the punch."

"Why?"

"Trina's makin' me get her punch and I'm lazy."

"Get your own, this is for Cat."

Rex took the punch. "Ha, ha; you snooze you lose."

Robbie took it back. "Get your own!"

Rex and Robbie were then fighting over who was getting the punch. The problem was quickly resolved when Rex spilled the drink all over one of the knights' new suit. This particular knight happened to be a very angry, violent one.

"Robbie did it!" Rex ran away.

"WHAT?"

"That's it!" The knight made a fist and was ready to hit Robbie. Fortunately due to his quick thinking, Robbie ducked. Unfortunately, the puncher hit the back of the head of another tough knight.

"HEY!" The other tough knight punched the puncher.

A brawl had now begun. Even though Robbie managed to get out of the way, the inanimate refreshment table could not. Mid fighting, the two tough knights toppled on top of the table sending the giant bowl of punch flying. The punch spilled all over Trina, Tori, Jade, and Cat as food began flying everywhere. When a piece of food fell into Squire Danny's eyes, Danny accidentally backed into Lady Christine's backside. Lady Christine's date, Ryder, did not appreciate this and threw Danny across the room where he flew into an emergency water valve. Trying to get up, he accidentally turned the valve and cold water came pouring down the ballroom. Coincidently, the chef was carrying in a seven tiered birthday cake, and slipped on a wet spot and the cake flew backwards right on top of Beck and Andre.

Sikowitz burst into laughter. "Now _this _is what I call a party!"

All eyes fixated on the ballroom exit where a dry Robbie was standing. Robbie, in fear and humiliation, squeaked like a girl and ran away.

"I think the party's over," Sinjin whispered to Rex.

…

Robbie sat in the corner of the stables crying about how he ruined her birthday and she was never going to forgive him. "Why must I be so socially awkward?" He banged his head against the stable.

"You sure it's safe to talk here?" Robbie heard an unfamiliar voice.

"Yeah, everyone's basically in the castle bathrooms or leaving," another unfamiliar voice responded.

Robbie turned his head to see two of the new three bodyguards stand in front of the stables. "I brought you here because I forgot the plan."

The other guy smacked the forgetful one across the head. "OW! Ritchie that really hurts."

"What did you forget now, Leo?"

"I thought Joey hypnotized the guy to bring her to us at midnight."

"_Around_ midnight, not at midnight exactly you dunderhead."

"Who you callin' a dunderhead?"

"You, you dunce!"

"Oh, right. Are we meeting with Frankie here or at The Forbidden Castle?"

"Here. Frankie said the guy's gonna bring the princess to him and he's gonna meet us somewhere out here around these horses."

"Horses freak me out."

"Ditto. You know Vinny almost got killed by a horse?"

"You know you got something in your hair?"

"Do I? Wait here, I'm gonna go find a hose and get it out." Ritchie left Leo alone to clean his hair.

Leo stood there whistling. He looked behind him at a horse. "You creep me out," he decided to go wait outside of the stables.

Robbie sat there in a panic. Whoever these guys were, they were going to kidnap Cat. He couldn't necessarily stop them alone, and he knew he had to tell someone. But who was going to believe him, let alone talk to him, after the fiasco in the ballroom? He stood no chance. He wasn't smart, he wasn't strong, and God knows he couldn't charm them with his looks. However, he did love Cat.

But would that be enough?

…

Cat stepped out of her bedroom in a pink nightgown. She wanted to find Robbie and tell him it wasn't his fault (though everyone assumed it was basically his fault). However, she bumped into Lane. "Hi Lane," she cheerfully waved.

"Your highness; I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"What's wrong, Lane?"

"Your brother freed your horse and we can't get her back into the stables. We tried looking for that stable boy, but we can't find him."

"I was looking for him too!"

"Can we please get the horse settled before we look for the stable boy?"

"Oh, okay." Cat and Lane went outside to the stables where Frankie was waiting.

"The horse isn't on the castle grounds anymore," Frankie lied. "I got two of the other guys getting a carriage ready so we can search for it. We'll take the princess with us 'cause maybe she can help calm it or ride it back."

"Cat, do you mind?" Lane inquired.

"No, but-"

"Good, I'll go tell their majesties about this." Lane ran back inside the castle.

Cat looked at Frankie. "Buttercup would never really do anything like this."

"Oh don't worry, you're horse is fine."

"Then why did you-" Before Cat could finish, Ritchie had wrapped a handkerchief around her mouth. Cat began to scream.

"Get her in the carriage now!"

Ritchie led the princess to the carriage where Leo was waiting in the driver's seat of the carriage. He threw her in there and before closing the door he wished her a happy birthday and joined Leo on the driver's seat.

Before climbing on to the back of the carriage, Frankie looked around. "We're clear, start goin'."

"How do you start this thing?" Leo questioned.

"Ya gotta get the horses ya dunderhead!"

"What's a dunderhead?"

"YOU ARE!" Frankie and Ritchie agreed.

"Ritchie, yous the smartest out of us guys," Frankie commented.

"You went got a proper education in less than a year before Vinny killed that guy," Leo reminded.

"Hook the horses to the carriage and you drive."

Ritchie got down muttering how he has to do everything because he was the "most smarterest of them guys"

…

Robbie ran around the castle wondering in a panic looking for someone to tell.

As they were cleaning themselves off, Beck and Andre noticed him running around the castle. "What did he do now?" Andre inquired. Beck just shrugged and resumed washing frosting out of his hair.

Tori and Jade noticed him too. "I hope he slips and breaks his neck," Jade snarked.

"Jade!"

Sinjin was heading down the hall and he and Robbie crossed paths. "What's wrong Robbie?"

Robbie stopped to catch his breath. "Evil…evil bodyguards…kidnapping Cat."

"A cat that can kidnap?"

"No, no. Cat's going to be kidnapped."

"Whose cat?"

"The princess."

"The princess is a cat, or the princess has a cat?"

"Three evil bodyguards are going to kidnap Princess Cat!"

Sinjin scowled. "Why don't you leave the joke telling to me, Robbie?"

Robbie groaned. The realization hit him; there were only two people who would believe him. One person was Sikowitz, the other was, "Tori!"

"Tori tells jokes too?"

Robbie ran off looking for Tori. Before he found her, he heard horse's hooves outside. Robbie ran to the nearest window and watched in horror as the carriage with Princess Cat drove off into the night. "Crap!" He stood there frozen until Tori tapped his shoulder. "Tori!"

"Sinjin is under the impression that I tell jokes; could you kindly explain why you told him this."

"Sinjin misunderstood. "

"Then why was my name-"

"Cat's gone!"

"Cat? Princess Cat?"

"Three bad guys pretending to be bodyguards were planning on kidnapping her."

"We gotta stop them!"

"We're too late."

"Why didn't you stop them?"

"Me?"

"Good point."

"I was looking for help. They just got away."

"Wait a minute, how do you know this?"

"If you can find people to help me, I'll explain it to you guys."

…

Robbie explained the situation to Tori, Andre, Beck, Jade, Rex, and Trina- who was only there because Tori was her sister and she had to give her a ride home.

"And you know for sure they're going a place called the _Forbidden_ Castle?" Beck asked for clarification.

"That place sounds like paradise," Jade smiled.

"Do you have any idea where that place is?" Andre inquired.

"And if so; is it hopefully anywhere near the Northern Ridges and their maidens?" Rex chuckled. Trina slapped him upside the head. "OW!"

"I have no idea," Robbie admitted. "I don't even know who the Joey is they're talking about."

"Joey?"

"Yeah; two of them said Joey hypnotized some guy to bring them the princess around midnight."

"Who did Joey hypnotize?" Beck asked.

"Someone Cat trusts maybe. But do you guys seriously know who Joey is?"

"I do," Jade spoke up. "Have any of you been introduced to Count Joey of the Noble Fergusons or his daughter, Hayley?"

"Hayley Ferguson's dad?" Tori didn't like Hayley Ferguson either.

"You ladies remember what she always said when we were at lessons with her? How she wanted to be princess and how her daddy was going to make that happen for her."

"The Count?" Robbie looked at Jade. "I remember hearing something a few years back about how he tried to hypnotize the prince, but it didn't work."

"How was he even able to hypnotize whoever he hypnotized?" Andre questioned.

For some reason, they all looked at Jade. "How the heck should I know?" Jade questioned back. Then she smiled, "But I think I know someone who might."

...

The seven of them escaped the castle and went into the village to _Erwin's Emporium of Magic and Homemade Dairy Products_.

"What are you children doing here this late? Shouldn't you all be at school or something?"

"The princess has been kidnapped," Tori informed.

"Gasp!" Sikowitz actually said the word gasp.

"This loser here heard the kidnapping plot," Jade explained.

"Count Joey hypnotized someone Cat trusted to lead her to the kidnappers," Robbie added.

"I knew I never trusted him or his tailor-made suits," Sikowitz stared off into space.

"SIKOWITZ!" The group shouted.

"Pardon my thinking; it's a dangerous pastime in this day and age." Sikowitz pulled a book of his shelf about hypnosis. "Hypnosis is powerful spells that only witches, wizards, warlocks, and the powerful, yet abnormal would know. If someone who doesn't fit those qualifications practices hypnosis, he and or she possess a magical piece of jewelry."

"What kind of jewelry?" Beck inquired.

"Amulets-whatever those are-, necklaces, or rings."

"He must have a ring."

"Where can we get one of those pieces of jewelry?" Tori questioned.

"Even if you found them, wherever they may be, you won't be able to tell if it's a hypnotizing device or not. And given the fact that they're jewelry, they're going to be very expensive."

"Then we're going to have to rescue Cat ourselves," Robbie stated.

"We're screwed," Jade commented.

"What choice do we have? If words leaks to those guys that a giant search party is out looking for the princess, they could seriously hurt her. Besides, we've got two girls-"

"AHEM!" Trina pointed to herself.

"-three girls and three knights. If I know bad guys, they only hurt people they're told to hurt, or guys who get in their way. We've got three trained knights."

"What do you have to offer to this group, loser?" Jade questioned. "You're not smart, strong, or an attractive girl."

"Okay, that slightly wounded my pride. But I know these guys and I know where they're going; and I can steal us horses."

"I can provide laughs!" Sinjin raised his hand.

"Sinjin?"

"When did you get here?" Andre asked.

"I stalked you guys. You gotta let me come; this may be a once in a lifetime chance to be a comic relief on a perilous quest!"

"How are you funny?" Jade snarked.

"Do you need a time out?" Beck asked his girlfriend.

"Whatever!" Robbie looked back at Sikowitz. "Do you know where the Forbidden Castle is?"

"Sure," Sikowitz nodded. "You head out beyond the Northern Ridges, go into the Forbidden Forest, climb the Forbidden Mountains, swim the Forbidden Swamp, and go over the Forbidden Lava Bridge, to the Forbidden Castle."

Jade smiled. "Sounds like fun."

"The entire trip should take at minimum, seven days."

"ONE WEEK?"

"Who said anything about a week, I said seven days. However, you could cut the trip shorter by taking the Path of Doom and Death instead of traveling through the Forbidden Forest. Either way the outlook isn't good."

"But we've got to do it," Robbie said.

"Who's going to stall the Fergusons from taking control?" Tori reminded.

"I could!" Trina raised her hand. "I could be temporary princess!"

"No way! Mom says we have to stay together until they come back from their vacation."

"Curse our parents for making that rule…and going on vacation without me!"

"Here," Sikowitz took a green coconut from a shelf. "This is no ordinary coconut."

"It's green," Sinjin observed.

"Aside from the color; the milk is black…and disgusting. But this is powerful magic in here that only I and David Copperfield have perfected."

"David who?"

"I don't know. Look, it's certain that by going on either path you all have a very good chance of dying."

"How reassuring," Andre noted.

"BUT by drinking the black milk you get a life restored. If you meet with death on your quest, you return back to my dwelling and awaken as if nothing happened. You retain your memory of course as well as your age. But this is only a one-time deal. If you say exit my shop and fall off a cliff for some strange reason and die…you die. No more restored life. I hope you children understand because I have no idea what I just said."

"How do we believe you?"

Sikowitz opened the coconut and poured the black milk into a goblet. "Notice, I will drink it all in one gulp; you must do that for this to work." Sikowitz gulped down the drink. Once done, he wiped his lip. "Disgusting! Tori, can you hand me that poison." Tori reluctantly did as she was told. "I have never tried this before." Sikowitz drank the poison. "Hmm, this is more delicious than the magic milk." Without warning, he began choking and gasping for breath. As the younger kids gathered around, Sikowitz's face turned blue and he fell to the floor…dead.

"Oh crap!"

Then they all watched in disbelief as his body disappeared. Frantically, they looked around.

"I FOUND HIM!" Beck gestured for them to look into Sikowitz's bedroom. They all looked surprised to find Sikowitz laying on his bed.

"Is he dead or what?" Andre questioned.

Sikowitz stirred and sat up startling the others. "I am awake…and very much alive."

"And this is the first time you've tested your magic thing, by killing yourself?" Beck raised an eyebrow.

"I couldn't very well kill any of you; you're going on the quest. Since I can't die again, I will stay here and attempt to stall. I'll say the princess…is doing something that young girls do. Now I suggest you sneak off and begin your quest…and if you value your lives I'd stick to the Forbidden Forest route."

"Shouldn't we drink that stuff first?"

"Has it been tested?"

"What is wrong with you?" Rex asked.

"Many things. Before you leave I must know if you are well equipped to battle anything on your quest?"

"Rex, Beck, and I can get swords," Andre informed. "Maybe we can also jack some other weapons from our weapons maker Festus."

"Excellent! Now arm yourself with these weapons and-Sinjin do not sniff that or you will lose your sense of sight and or hearing-and venture forth to battle and kick some butt! Oh yes, and bring back the princess."

…

Robbie unlocked the stables as the other three guys went off to get weapons. "Okay ladies," Robbie opened the doors. "Choose any one of the princess' horses."

"I'm here too!" Sinjin reminded.

"Right, sorry. Just try to keep quiet."

"I want a black horse," Jade began searching for a black horse.

"Aww," Tori noticed Buttercup. "She's so pretty."

"That's Cat's horse Buttercup, she's a real sweetheart; unlike her other horse, Sweetheart. You can take Buttercup if you like."

"Can I ride her?" Sinjin inquired.

"Buttercup only likes it when girls ride her."

"But you called me a girl before you opened the doors."

"Tori called dibs!"

"No I didn't," Tori defended, "I said she was so pretty. If Sinjin wants to ride her, I'll ride…that one!"

"Blossom? Sure, be my guest."

"Dibs on Blossom!"

"AWW!" Sinjin moaned. "I guess I'll choose Buttercup."

"You wanted Buttercup!"

"I only want what you want, Tori."

Tori gave him a strange look. "I thought you were Jade's stalker?"

"I'm a multi-stalker."

"Creepy."

Jade rode her black horse out of its stable. "I want this one."

"Great!" Robbie gave her a thumbs up. "So Jade's got Beauty, Tori's got Blossom, Sinjin's going to ride Buttercup, Trina, what horse do you pick?"

"They're all so ugly!" Trina commented, "and smelly. I guess I'll take this one."

"And Trina chose Bubbles." Robbie looked around. "Well, if I wake up any other of the horses they'll cause a ruckus and it's hard to control them."

"That one's awake." Trina pointed to Wesley.

"NO! No, I can't ride Wesley! This horse has some personal vengeance against me."

"What about the knight's horses?" Sinjin reminded.

"Once the knights pick out their horses they take them to their place. One of the requirements of being a knight is to have a place to maintain a horse."

"Robbie, you can't wait until the other horses are awake. We have to go after Cat as soon as the others get back with the weapons and their horses."

"Actually we're going to have two people to a horse for both safety and time purposes."

"Then you can ride with me, Robbie," Sinjin smiled.

"Uh…I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because…because you'll be riding an extra horse in case something happens to one of the other horses. And when we rescue Cat, she'll ride the horse I end up choosing."

"That's the best excuse anyone's used to tell me no!"

"I bet it is."

"You know what I bet," Jade began, "I bet those guys are seriously going to hurt Cat within three days unless we don't leave as soon as possible. And the only way to do that is if you ride that horse that hates you."

"I can't!"

"Do it for Cat."

Tori looked at Jade. "You're trying to motivate someone into doing something that doesn't involve you causing torture or pain?"

"Cat is my best friend and is one of those people pain doesn't agree with. She loves everybody and everybody loves her, and no one wants to see her hurt. And if this freak loves her so much, he should be willing to risk his pathetic life for hers."

Sinjin looked at Jade confused. "I don't love her."

"The other freak."

"Come on Robbie, if you want Cat to be safe, you gotta put your life at risk. You don't have a lot of time to make a decision; ride the demon horse."

Robbie nervously looked at the horse, and he swore it growled at him.

…

The goons arrived at the Forbidden Castle by sunrise. Frankie scoffed, "Some path of Doom and Death. Good thing we didn't turn back at all those 'I'd Turn Back if I Were You' signs."

"They used those things to trick people into thinking it was more deadly than the other route," Ritchie explained.

"Why do you gotta be the smartest?"

"'Cause I'm the one who got the learnin'! Now get the princess and get her into the castle."

"Are we at the back of the castle?" Leo inquired.

"Yeah, see takin' that path led us to the back of the Forbidden Castle so that we avoid all the forbidden, deadly junk. We also got here in less than seven days 'cause we took all the right paths."

"It helps that there are signs indicating the right path by saying 'I'd Turn Back if I Were You'. Is Joey gonna come here and visit us…or what?"

"He's busy doin' Count stuff. You know, if they don't find the princess they can make Hayley the princess."

"Between the two of us, his daughter's mean."

"Yeah, really mean."

Frankie pushed a tied up Cat out of the carriage. "Let's get her into the castle."

"Hey, I know we kidnapped her for life and all that jazz," Leo began, "but shouldn't we go back to the castle and get her stuff."

"We'll get Joey to bring it to us when they all hear of her 'death'." Cat's eyes widened with terror and she was making muffled noises. "Don't worry your highness, we're not really gonna kill you; we're just gonna make everyone think you're dead."

"What if people come lookin' for her?"

"Then we may have to kill her…or else we can use Plan B, but that's a risky move."

"What's Plan B?"

…

With Beck, Andre, Rex, and even Sinjin at the reins of their horses, the journey seemed to be going smoothly. Unfortunately, Robbie chose the demon horse who had a personal vengeance against him, and Wesley did not make Robbie's ride any easier. "WHOA! WHOA! HEEL! HEEL!" Wesley was making Robbie flail around and not by choice.

"Who wants to hear another knock-knock joke?" Sinjin asked. Everyone groaned. "Come on, I'm a jester; I'm the comic relief!"

"YOU'RE NOT FUNNY!" Jade yelled at him.

"Whoa there!" Beck stopped his and Jade's horse and gestured for the others to stop. "This is where we make the decision on which path to take."

"Which path is which?" Rex asked.

"The scary looking path is the path through the Forbidden Forest. The scarier looking path is the path of Doom and Death. With a sign that says 'I'd Turn Back if I Were You'."

"Then let's do that!" Rex agreed.

"We have no other alternative but to take the Forbidden Forest path," Andre sighed. "I ain't goin' first."

"You can't expect me to go first all the time!" Beck objected.

"I ain't goin' first!" Rex protested. "Robbie can go first!"

Tori turned around. "Where is Robbie?"

The others turned around. "That man can't control his horse."

"What's that?" Trina pointed to something that caught her eye.

Sinjin got off his horse and picked up what caught Trina's eye. "This is Robbie's vial!"

"Robbie's vial?"

Tori's jaw dropped. "Sikowitz put our potions in vials and we drank ours. Robbie didn't drink his potion thingy!"

"He was probably waiting until he entered the forest to drink his potion!" Andre panicked. "Where could he have gone?"

"Um…" Sinjin pointed to the horse hooves in the dirt that led to the Path of Doom and Death.

…

Leo was pacing the nearly destroyed throne room of the Forbidden Castle where the princess was being held captive. "I don't like this; I don't like kidnapping."

"It does put us in a serious moral dilemma," Ritchie agreed.

"I have no idea what you just said!" Frankie told him.

Ritchie shook his head. "Neither do I. I just don't like this. Kidnapping is wrong, but we kidnapped a princess."

"Plus we're faking her death."

"We didn't even want to do this," Leo reminded. "This was all Joey's idea."

"Wow Leo, that's one of the most smarterest things I heard you say."

"Can we at least ungag her?"

Ritchie took the handkerchief off of Cat's mouth. "I've been catnapped!" she cried. Still, that comment made her giggle. "Catnapped; 'cause my name is Cat."

"Hi Cat," Leo waved. "I'm Leo, that's Frankie, and the one who ungagged you is Ritchie."

"We didn't wanna kidnap you princess," Ritchie assured, "but we're gettin' paid an awful lotta gold."

"Plus we can use this castle as our headquarters," Frankie added.

"Aww," Cat felt sorry for them, "I know you guys are secretly good. You're just poor at making decisions based on what you want for yourself."

"Are you like that too?" Leo inquired.

"Well…to be honest, I don't wanna be a princess. I don't even wanna be queen."

"Why not?"

"Can you keep a secret?" The three men gathered around. "I'm in love." They gasped with delight.

"Who's the lucky guy? Is he a prince?"

"Is he a nobleman or aristocrat?" Ritchie inquired.

"Is he a knight or squire?" Frankie asked.

Cat smiled as she shook her head. "His name's Robbie, and he's our stable boy."

"Robbie?" Frankie began to think. "Isn't he that guy who ruined your birthday party?"

"He didn't ruin my birthday, it was an accident! Do you want to know another secret?"

"YES!" They all leaned in closer.

"I was secretly hoping he would ask me to marry him." The others squealed with delight.

"Wait," Ritchie began, "you can't marry him! You're a princess and you can't marry a commoner."

"I know!" Cat whined. "But if he was going to ask me; I was going to drop out as princess and marry him."

"How romantic," Leo (and the other two) swooned. Suddenly, Cat's eyes saddened. "What's the matter?"

"I don't think he really loves me."

"AWW!"

"He never comes to any of my parties or celebrations, he won't go riding with me, but we're such good friends."

"Maybe that's what he thinks of you," Frankie suggested. "I had this same problem. I was in love with the tavern wench-"

"Buck-Tooth Betty?" Ritchie asked.

Frankie scowled. "Do not call her that! I loved her, but I didn't think she loved me."

"Didn't she marry the widowed farmer on the edge of the kingdom?" Leo reminded.

"Yeah. When I asked her why, she said it was because he told her he loved her and made a move; like all gentlemen should do." Frankie sighed. "She thought I didn't love her, but I did! I thought Betty could do better considerin' she was a lady with some class. But I thought that 'cause we was such good friends, me confessin' my love for her would ruin our friendship."

"Robbie probably feels the same," Cat looked down at the ground. "He never called me Cat, he always called me princess. He most likely thought I could do better than him and that if he did make a move it would ruin our friendship. We are best friends after all."

"That's the way it is for most male friends who love their lady friends."

"Or vice-a versa," Leo said.

"He does seem like the awkward, shy type anyway who doesn't do well in social situations," Ritchie considered this factor. "Do yous guys have any idea what I just said?" The other two shook their heads.

"I understand," Cat smiled. Frankie began to sob. "Aw, Frankie what's wrong?"

Frankie took the handkerchief from Ritchie and started wiping away tears. "I don't want what happened between me and Betty to happen between you and Robbie. Yous two was made for each other."

"And we're going to get you back to him!" Leo and Ritchie simultaneously said.

"YAY!" Cat moved around in her chair to signify delight.

…

Robbie was more than incredibly surprised at what he saw when Wesley led him to the back of the Forbidden Castle. "Holy moly!" The horse whined in agreement. Robbie looked at Wesley. "I get it; you're one of those rare tracker horses who can sniff out their owner," the horse nodded. "I thought you hated me," the horse sort of glared at him. "Look, I know we have our differences, but you and I both love Cat, and I couldn't have done this without you. So…are we friends?" Wesley ran back in the direction they came from. "What? I-"

"I'm going to have to take care of this myself!"

"Oh, that's not the horse talkin'," Robbie felt as though he was going to have a panic attack. Somehow, he composed himself and hid as an angry looking Count Joey made his way to the castle.

…

At the same time all of this was going on, the rest of the rescue party wasn't having much luck. Turns out Sikowitz was wrong about how long the actual trip would take, everything was much shorter and faster than anticipated.

That is if you survived the evil branch hands of the evil looking trees (Sinjin did not). Then, after leaving the horses behind, you would then have to climb the mountain and hopefully not fall off (unlike Trina). Sikowitz however, did neglect to mention the dragon's lair.

"Can we go back now?" Tori asked in fear.

"Yeah," Andre agreed. "I just remembered I'm allergic to dragons."

Without warning, the dragon breathed out fire. Beck drew his sword. "You guys go ahead, I'll fight the dragon!"

"No, I'm staying!" Jade objected.

"GO!"

"NO!" Tori and Andre had to pull Jade with them. "No, I wanna stay with Beck!" No sooner had she said that, the dragon barbecued Beck in front of their eyes. "BECK!"

"Come on," Andre said with both solemn (for Beck) and worry (for the dragon).

After that, there was the Forbidden Swamp. "Maybe if we all cling on to each other we have a least likely chance of drowning," Tori suggested.

"I'll hold on to Jade," Rex put his arms around Jade. Jade pushed them off and then she did the unthinkable. She stepped into the water, and drowned herself.

"Save her!"

"She'll be okay," Andre reminded. "Beck, Trina, and Sinjin too. They'll just return to Sikowitz's place with their life restored."

"What about Robbie?" Tori asked.

"We just have to pray for that freak," Rex held onto Tori, Tori held onto Andre, and Andre swam forward.

After the swamp, came a village of giant trolls. The only way to avoid them was to not to get in their vision. Thankfully, the trolls were sleeping. Andre and Tori were the first to escape, but as he was about to escape, Rex tripped and tried to get up.

"I think I broke something!" Rex clutched his ankle.

"Uh Rex!"

"What?" Tori and Andre pointed to the giant sleeping troll behind him who was about to roll over. Before he could fully stand, the troll rolled over on top of a fallen Rex.

And then there were two, Tori and Andre. And all that was left was the lava bridge.

"This journey was a lot faster than I thought," Tori commented.

"Shorter too," Andre led Tori toward the bridge.

"HALT!" They didn't count on the bridge being guarded by a troll. "Thou may pass the bridge if you can guess thy riddle in the time allotted." The troll beckoned them closer. "The gentleman may come closer."

Andre reluctantly walked forward. "Um…what's the riddle?"

"You have five seconds to tell me the answer to this riddle," the troll cleared his throat. "What is once in a minute, twice in a moment, and never in a thousand years?"

Tori smiled, she had heard this riddle before. Andre, however, panicked. "Um…uh…I…a life."

"That is wrong! You shall not pass!"

"The heck I won't." Andre took one step forward and the suddenly the lava spurted up like a fountain and encompassed Andre.

"ANDRE!"

"Young lady, you are next," the troll informed.

"THE LETTER M!" Tori shouted.

"That is the correct answer to his riddle," the troll slyly smiled, "but not to the riddle I was going to give you." The lava did the same to Tori.

The only hope Cat had of rescue now rested with Robbie.

…

Robbie secretly followed Joey into the Forbidden Castle. Joey entered the throne room and closed the doors behind him. Robbie tried to put his ear closer to the door unaware of another person behind him.

"Gentlemen," Joey stepped forward to the three, who were all standing in front of an untied Cat as to protect her, "we have a problem. Someone has heard of your plans and informed their majesties. A search party is en route to this castle for the princess. We're not taking any chances. We're going to have to give her the poison!"

"No," Frankie said.

"No?"

"No, you're not going to hurt her one bit."

"And we're taking her back to the castle," Ritchie added.

"Yeah!" Leo got a word in edgewise.

"Really?" Joey looked at them.

The doors flew open. Joey's other, meaner, tougher goon Vinny had Robbie in his grasps. "LET GO OF ME!" Robbie struggled to break free.

"ROBBIE!" Cat recognized his voice and realized her true love was in trouble. She pushed her way through her three new friends and ran toward him.

"CAT!" He tried to break free, but when he did, Vinny quickly grabbed him again as Joey got a hold of Cat. "LET GO OF HER!"

Cat squirmed and squirmed, but Joey held on tight. Joey chuckled as he pulled something out of his pocket. "I should have realized you'd be the one to come to the rescue." He displayed a vial in his hands. "But in the end it's all in vain." He popped the top of the vial. "Behold, _Mortem Dormire. _This potion took me forever to track down and cost me a fortune, but it will be worth it."

"What's _Mortem Dormire_?"

"Roughly translated, it's the death of sleeping."

"What are you going to do with that?" Joey opened Cat's mouth. Cat tried desperately to close it, but Joey wouldn't allow that. He managed to get the vial into her mouth. "NO!"

"The taste is so awful, the only way to get rid of the taste is to swallow." Joey was making sure she was involuntarily drinking it all. "And when she does…" he removed the empty vial. Cat was gasping for a breath, but she couldn't breathe. She closed her eyes and fell to the floor.

"CAT!" Robbie bit Vinny, which caused Vinny to release Robbie, and ran to a lifeless Cat. He tried to shake her. "CAT! Cat, no," he was crying by this point, "don't do this to me. Cat. CAT!" He held her head in his arms. "Princess." He held her body close and cried on her shoulder.

"Vinny," Joey snapped his fingers and Vinny took the body from Robbie. "Take her to the tower."

"No! NO!"

"Fret not, she's not dead. She's in a deep sleep; and she'll awaken in another…oh, hundred years or so." Without warning, Robbie punched Joey square in the face. Joey fell backwards. "You just made a horrible mistake!" Joey pulled out a dagger and slashed Robbie across his stomach. Robbie fell to the floor clutching his stomach. "I always knew you'd be a threat to me."

"I'm just a stable boy."

"You don't even know the truth about your past!" Joey chuckled. "Nearly eighteen years ago, the king and queen of this castle finally had the child they longed for, a son. Unfortunately, the queen passed away after giving birth, and this was also in the midst of the revolution. An angry kingdom was right outside with torches and pitchforks and the kingdom was burning in the distance, people already dead. The king, fearing for his child's life, asked his brother to take his son to the castle of the nearby kingdom. His brother escaped out of the back of the castle with his nephew as his home, and everything and everyone he loved was lost. He left his nephew on the steps of a pink palace in the kingdom of Angelos, an emblem with the prince's name around the infant's neck."

Robbie looked up at him. "Are you saying that I'm a prince?"

The Count nodded. "I decided no one must know about my kingdom and asked a witch to put a curse around the kingdom making it impenetrable so that no one would claim the castle for their own and start up a whole new kingdom. I was given important royal documents, including your birth certificate. Your royal birth certificate is hidden in my estate where it will never be found," Joey sighed, "I didn't want to have to be the one to kill my nephew, but desperate times call for desperate measures." Joey was preparing to slash him again.

Frankie took the dagger out of his hand. "This time, you've gone too far." He repeatedly stabbed the Count until Joey fell to the floor. Frankie helped Robbie up as Ritchie handed him something and he and Leo left to find Vinny. "I notice this in your pocket," Frankie pulled out a vial. "Where'd you'd get this?"

"I took two," Robbie explained, "I lost one along the way; the other was for Cat."

"She loves you, you know?"

"Yeah…I know now." Robbie collapsed lower.

"You're dying, Robbie."

"Just give the vial…" Robbie took a deep breath, "…give the vial to Cat."

Frankie opened the vial and involuntarily made Robbie drink the potion. Robbie closed his eyes and fell to the floor. "You'll be okay," Frankie smiled, "you're only sleeping."

Robbie opened his eyes and slowly got up. "Why am I here?"

"I had an uncle too, Uncle Erwin, he gave me the potion just in case. Instead of sending you back to his place, you just fall to the ground and quickly wake up where you are." Robbie smiled. "Now, you can save her! I'll round up my buds and we'll go back to Joey's place and get the birth certificate; we know where his hidden treasure trove is," Frankie scooped up the Count. "I'm sure he'll be fine, but I'm still takin' him with me."

"Thanks a lot."

"It's nothin'…Your Highness." Frankie winked and left with the Count.

Robbie ran out of the throne room and began to search for the tower. For some reason, he knew where to go. He was instantly in the tower where Cat was laying on a bed. "Cat," he shook her. "Cat, can you hear me?" He kneeled down beside her. "I'm so sorry. I should've followed them here myself and not put your life, but the lives of our friends in danger. This is all my fault. And I know…I know that you love me, I just wish I could have told you I loved you too." He sighed and stared at her. "I know why those princes kissed those practically dead princesses now; the princess must have been the most beautiful thing those guys ever laid their eyes on. Just like you are to me," he caressed her face. He leaned closer, and kissed her lips. When she didn't wake up when he pulled away, he buried his head in his hands and sobbed.

Cat opened her eyes and began to stir. When she stirred, she let out a moan. Robbie instantly perked up and saw her alive and awake before his very eyes. "Robbie?"

"Cat?" He held her hands and helped her off of the bed. They stared at each other for a moment until Robbie again caressed her face. "You're…you're alive." He picked her up and spun her in excitement. "YOU'RE ALIVE!"

Cat giggled as he set her down. "You're my hero."

"You're my dream girl. I love you, Cat."

"I love you Robbie."

The two embraced each other in a passionate kiss that rivaled Snow White and Sleeping Beauty combined.

…

After that, things could only get better. Wesley was waiting for Robbie and Cat and the two rode back to Angelos where they were greeted with a celebration. For not only had the princess been found, but so had a prince.

Things were also going well for the wannabe rescuers. They were all alive and well and were more than excited to see Cat back, and with Robbie. And with the romantic atmosphere, Rex decided to pursue Trina. However, Trina didn't share the same feelings and was now desperately trying to avoid him. Things were still the same for Beck and Jade. But as for Tori and Andre, a relationship just wasn't right for them (even though they both wanted one). Sinjin and Sikowitz…well, they were still Sinjin and Sikowitz, nothing was going to change for them.

The bad guys also got their comeuppance. Count Joey, Vinny, and Hayley were imprisoned in the dungeon for all eternity while Tara, who it was revealed was hypnotized, became a lady in waiting for Trina. Leo, Ritchie, and Frankie confessed to everything and they were spared the dungeon. The three of them became official bodyguards. Frankie was even reunited with his uncle Erwin and a recently widowed Betty.

As for the princess and her hero, a royal wedding occurred in less than two days. The young newlyweds also became king and queen of Robbie's kingdom, now free from the forbidden forest, mountain, dragon's lair, swamp, giant troll village, and bridge with lava guarded by the smaller troll.

And as it is in these fairy tales, they lived happily ever after.

_The End_


End file.
